Game Design: We’re On Location…

So, I’ve been thinking about sites and locations and such, puzzling out how I can create multiple cards based around the same concepts, much like personae are now. You can have multiple versions of the same character, object, or place in play at the same time because they represent the influence of a thing, rather than the thing itself. Both players can draw on the same influences at the same time.

Chrono Cross has this cool “environmental effect” mechanic during combat, which changes based on the influence of spells (termed “elements”) used during the battle. In combination with this idea, it occurred to me that I could split up locations between the place itself and certain effects it has. In essence, you can have a library, lecture hall, ruin, or archery range, and then elect to drown it, bury it, or set it on fire.

Locales will probably retain the skill-affinities, as I already sort of figured. That will allow, among other things, the aforementioned library and lecture hall examples to affect (and be affected by) a variety of Academics effects. Environs, by comparison, will add things like D&D’s cover and concealment, difficult or hindering terrain, and various other temperamental, magical, or resource-based effects.

Location-based effects like storehouses (granaries?) or fortifications (walls and such) will enable certain resource-protecting card powers. An armory, for example, might protect any Weapon Resources from being depleted. A granary (to use the previous example), might prevent the depletion of grains and foodstuffs in your Resources.

I’ll eventually figure out how to sort out the presence of magical effects (as in Chrono Cross, or like geo effects in Disgaea, for example) on the battlefield. Just like how dueling in an enclosed location might prevent certain flashy maneuvers, battling in a fire-infused environment might enable more powerful fire-based magical effects.

Then, if the you need a change of scenery, or your opponent gets property destruction on the mind, the location can be forfeited or exiled to shake things up.